Sharpening Strategic Intelligence
Why the CIA Gets It Wrong and What Needs to Be Done to Get It Right

Examines the causes of intelligence failures in the Cold War, post-9/11, and pre-Iraq War.

Richard L. Russell (Author)

9780521878159, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 9 April 2007

228 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 1.8 cm, 0.484 kg

“In this book, Dr. Russell methodically integrates official reports and the observations of intelligence and national security professionals to make a compelling argument in support of his central thesis that the CIA’s seemingly intractable flaws have resulted in a ‘systemic failure to deliver firstrate human intelligence and analysis to the commander in chief.’”
American Intelligence Journal

This book critically examines the weaknesses of American intelligence led by the Central Intelligence Agency in informing presidential decision making on issues of war and peace. It evaluates the CIA's strategic intelligence performance during the Cold War and post-Cold War periods as a foundation for examining the root causes of intelligence failures surrounding the September 11th attacks and assessments of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs in the run up to the Iraq War. The book probes these intelligence failures, which lie in the CIA's poor human intelligence collection and analysis practices. The book argues that none of the post-9/11 intelligence reforms have squarely addressed these root causes of strategic intelligence failure and it recommends measures for redressing these dangerous vulnerabilities in American security.

1. Strategic intelligence and American statecraft
2. Debunking Cold War myths
3. Stumbling after the Cold War
4. Blundering in the 'War on Terror'
5. Spies who do not deliver
6. Analysts who are not experts
7. Facing future strategic intelligence challenges.

Subject Areas: Laws of Specific jurisdictions [LN], Military administration [JWJ], International relations [JPS], Politics & government [JP]